The impending demolition of a former retail building in New York City will set the stage for the planned construction of a 240,000-ft, 20-story office building whose design and systems will be flexible enough to support and accommodate this metro’s growing tech and innovation sectors, which are expected to create 100,000 new jobs over the next decade.
The building, known as 14th@Irving, could break ground in early 2019, and be completed in two years. The building is expected to become a center for training and collaboration for the innovation economy. Its largest tenant will be Civic Hall, a community based organization with 1,000 individual and 150 business members. Civic Hall will lease three of the building’s stories for its own use, and program three other floors that will include a digital skills training center.
Five floors in the building are being earmarked for startup tenants that are looking for smaller spaces and shorter-term leases. These companies, the thinking goes, could eventually become large enough to want to take leases in the building’s seven floors of Class A office space.
“This center will be a great place to start and grow new tech businesses within a community of like-minded innovators,” says Keith Amann, Senior Associate with WSP Built Ecology. WSP is this project’s MEP and FP engineer, lighting designer, and is overseeing commissioning, sustainability, and building technology. He notes that the building will be set up to encourage tenant-to-tenant sharing and collaboration.
The building’s ground floor will include a food hall and leased space that features an Urbanspace market, and be limited to vendors with fewer than five locations in Manhattan and no space within a half-mile of the building.
The building's ground floor will include retailers that don't already have a big presence in Manhattan. Image: Davis Brody Bond
RAL Development Services, which specializes in luxury multifamily and resort communities, is developing the building with New York City’s Economic Development Corporation. The building’s architect is Davis Brody Bond Architects + Planners, and its GC is Suffolk Construction.
Flexibility and sustainability have been driving factors in 14th@Irving’s design, says Narada Golden, a Vice President with WSP Built Ecology. “We want to make sure that the building stays relevant for a long time, as technology evolves and tenants change.”
The building is targeting LEED Gold certification at a minimum, and Amann expects this building to be 30% more efficient than what New York City’s energy codes mandate.
An energy analysis came up with a plan that will result in lower energy costs for the building by using an air-cooled variable refrigerant flow (VRF) system. An efficient HVAC system won’t require a cooling tower and condenser water system for heat rejection, which will free up space on the roof as well as shaft space on each floor.
3D technology provided daylighting analysis that showed where heat gain on the facade might be more prevalent. Image: WSP USA
WSP also used 3D modeling to illustrate its daylight analysis of the building and develop an energy efficient design approach. There will be a solar-panel array on the roofdeck, rainwater harvesting for plant irrigation, and low-flow plumbing fixtures installed throughout.
The building is also shooting for Wired Platinum certification, which gauges digital connectivity. The building’s lobby will include a large interactive display to inform occupants about the building’s performance in terms of energy and water consumption. The property’s management will also communicate with tenants via mobile apps.
WSP’s BOLD&R Initiative in Colorado, which tests smart technologies, has been working with RAL on this project to determine whether to install smart sensors that would provide building management with information related to how tenants are using the building, monitoring occupants’ patterns, indoor air quality, and so forth, and adjust to operate its systems more efficiently.
“They will be able to see where people are moving through the spaces to improve mobility, and see what is being over- or underutilized,” Amann says. “It will become a dynamic building through ongoing data collection.” Golden adds that, instead of viewing sustainability, smart technology, and wellness as separate strategies, this building is taking a holistic approach where “we’re finding that ‘smart’ actually facilitates sustainability.”
Related Stories
Modular Building | Feb 16, 2020
On the West Coast, prefab gains ground for speedier construction
Gensler has been working with component supplier Clark Pacific on several projects.
AEC Tech | Feb 13, 2020
Exclusive research: Download the final report for BD+C's Giants 300 Technology and Innovation Study
This survey of 130 of the nation's largest architecture, engineering, and construction firms tracks the state of AEC technology adoption and innovation initiatives at the AEC Giants.
Sponsored | HVAC | Feb 3, 2020
Reliable Building Systems Increase Net Operating Income by Retaining Tenants
Tenants increasingly expect a well-crafted property that feels unique, authentic, and comfortable—with technologically advanced systems and spaces that optimize performance and encourage collaboration and engagement. The following guidance will help owners and property managers keep tenants happy.
Building Technology | Jan 31, 2020
The bidding war for Thyssenkrupp’s elevator technology business just got hotter
Engineering firm Kone Oyj raises the ante and joins three other suitor groups that have made multibillion dollar offers.
AEC Tech | Jan 16, 2020
EC firms with a clear ‘digital roadmap’ should excel in 2020
Deloitte, in new report, lays out a risk mitigation strategy that relies on tech.
Building Technology | Jan 7, 2020
Tariff whiplash for bifacial solar modules
Bifacial solar systems offer many advantages over traditional systems.
Sponsored | HVAC | Jan 6, 2020
Four Ways Building Systems Create Long-term Profitability
When accounting for the total cost of ownership and the potential return on investment, owners and developers should consider total energy usage, the lifespan of building systems equipment, the recruitment and retention of occupants, and lease rates.
Sponsored | HVAC | Jan 6, 2020
Maximize Energy Efficiency in Class A Office Buildings With Modern Building Systems
Energy-efficient building design starts with the building envelope, but the building systems have a tremendous impact on energy use as well.
| Dec 18, 2019
Reconsidering construction robotics
After decades when experts predicted that robots would become more prevalent on construction sites, it would appear that the industry has finally reached that point where necessity, aspiration, and investment are colliding.
75 Top Building Products | Dec 16, 2019
Top Building Systems Products for 2019
FabricAir’s ceiling-hung fabric duct and Ellumi Lighting’s bacteria-killing lights are among the 13 new building systems products to make Building Design+Construction's 2019 101 Top Products report.